Musk's brief stint as head of the Department of Government Efficiency in the Trump administration ended amidst clashes and policy disagreements. As his political influence waned, Tesla faced challenges,

Musk, who ultimately spent more than $250m (£187m) in support of Trump's campaign, told an economic conference in Qatar that he planned to do "a lot less" spending in the future. He also said he was committed to leading electric car company Tesla for another five years.

Liberal writers wasted no time dancing on his political grave, with The Atlantic tracing “The Decline and Fall of Elon Musk” and a New York Times op-ed declaring that history “broke him.” (It wasn’t just liberals: Musk fan and Trumpian culture warrior Christopher Rufo took a moment to lament that “Washington Got the Better of Elon.”)